Arbour Guest House

At nightfall I was left on the street with two small children and nowhere to stay. The owner wouldn’t answer calls; eventually she messaged to say the key would be in an envelope on the door, but it wasn’t there. I tried calling and messaging again and knocked until other guests let us in, but there was nobody to speak to or reach, so we had to find other accommodation. Apparently the key had been left on a door in the next building, which had a for sale sign, no indication it belonged to the guest house, and a fence between the buildings. The owner refused to refund me. The worst experience I’ve ever had. Stay away.

It’s a busy town, and I’d say paying a bit extra for the B&B option is probably worthwhile instead of just a room. The room itself was clean and the bed comfortable. The shared bathroom was clean too, and I never had to wait for it. The doors are old and need a big key to lock from either side, otherwise they don’t close properly. You can hear through the thin walls, though respectful guests meant it wasn’t too annoying.

Breakfast was self-service in the B&B next door, with cereal and toast. I wasn’t keen on it, though my wife and kids loved it, and they kindly found gluten-free bread for my wife. The room was basic but clean and tidy; we didn’t use the shower, though it looked fine. It’s right in the centre, near a car park that I think is free at weekends and after 6pm. We had a pleasant stay and would use them again.

The attic room was clean and I had a nice few days there. The woman who checked me in was lovely. I’d been nervous after reading some bad reviews, but my stay was a different experience. Watch your head if you’re over 5ft 5, the single attic room is low, and breakfast isn’t included. My only real bother was that the door was difficult to open and close. It’s a lovely place and much cheaper than everywhere else, so I’d recommend it.